Infusion machine

ABSTRACT

Brewing apparatus comprising a brew-collecting container (1), defined by a sidewall (2) and a bottom wall (3), that can be placed under the outlet (4) of a filter (5) of a housing (6) of a brewing apparatus (7), in such a way that it rests on a base (8) of said brewing apparatus (7). The container (1) includes a handle (9) fastened to said sidewall (2) by fastening means, a spout (10) through which the brew is poured out of the container (1) and a lid (11) which has an opening (12) through which the brew flows into the container. In accordance with the invention, the opening (12) is located in alignment with the spout (10), and the outlet (4) of the filter (5) is arranged so as to overlay said spout (10) in a brewing position. The invention is particularly useful for electric coffee-makers.

The invention concerns an infusion machine having an infusion collectionreceptacle delimited by a lateral wall and a base wall and capable ofbeing placed beneath the outlet orifice of a filter of an infusionmachine, such as a coffee maker of the drip type, for example. The saidcollection receptacle generally rests on a base of the said infusionmachine.

The infusion collection receptacle comprises a handle fixed to the saidlateral wall by attachment means, a spout through which the infusion ispoured out of the receptacle and a lid with an opening through which theinfusion flows into the receptacle.

The lid of an infusion collection receptacle of a known type has acentral opening capable of being placed beneath the outlet orifice ofthe filter, through which the infusion may drip. Such a receptacle withseveral openings, namely the spout and the said central opening, allowsa significant amount of air to circulate, which is detrimental to theobtaining of a good infusion aroma and leads to heat losses which changethe nature of the infusion obtained.

The aim of the invention is to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks byusing an infusion machine having an infusion collection receptacle whichthus preserves most of the characteristics of the infusion that itcontains.

According to the invention, the opening is situated opposite the spoutand the outlet orifice of the filter is arranged so as to hang over thesaid spout in an infusion position.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the infusioncollection receptacle has a grille positioned close to the spout,designed to close off the opening situated opposite the spout at the endof the infusion process.

By means of such an infusion collection receptacle, most of the aroma ofthe infusion is preserved within the receptacle without the use of asealing joint. Moreover, the reduction in the number of openings at theupper periphery of the infusion collection receptacle limits heatlosses, thereby improving the temperature of the infusion.

Furthermore, owing to the airtightness of the receptacle, air does notfilter into the inside of the receptacle, and no oxidation of theinfusion is therefore produced, and the steam formed within thereceptacle does not escape, thereby preventing any caramelization of theinfusion.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will, moreover,emerge from the following description, taken as a non-limitativeexample, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an infusion machine in which an infusioncollection receptacle according to the invention is positioned,

FIG. 2 is a vertical section, to a larger scale, of the infusioncollection receptacle of FIG. 1.

According to FIG. 1, an infusion machine 7, such as a coffee maker ofthe drip type, for example, comprises, inside a casing 6, a cold-waterreservoir 16 and a water heater 17 supplied by this reservoir 16 anditself supplying, via an ascending hot-water tube 18, a spray nozzle 19designed to spray a removable filter 5 known per se, fitted inside thesaid casing 6 and designed to receive ground coffee.

The filter 5 has an outlet orifice 4 beneath which is placed an infusioncollection receptacle 1 resting on a base 8 of the said infusion machine7.

The infusion collection receptacle 1 is delimited by a lateral wall 2and a base wall 3. The said receptacle 1 comprises a handle 9 fixed tothe lateral wall 2 by attachment means, a spout 10 through which theinfusion can be poured out of the receptacle 1 and a lid 11 with anopening 12 through which the infusion flows into the said collectionreceptacle 1.

In our example embodiment, the lid 11 is fixed to the handle 9.

According to the invention, the opening 12 is situated opposite thespout 10 and the outlet orifice 4 of the filter 5 is arranged so as tohang over the said spout 10 in an infusion position.

The infusion collection receptacle 1 has a locating means 13 suitablefor positioning the spout 10 opposite the outlet orifice 4 of the filter5 in the infusion position. The said locating means 13 has a recess 20formed in the casing 6 and in which part of the handle 9 of thereceptacle 1 fits when the receptacle 1 is positioned on the base 8.

The lateral wall 2 of the infusion collection receptacle 1 is sphericalin shape, as is the lid 11 partially closing the receptacle 1. Theinfusion collection receptacle 1 has a grille 14 positioned close to thespout 10 and which is designed to block the opening 12 in the lid 11when the infusion has finished passing through, the said grille 14 beingfixed, for example by bonding, to the lateral wall 2 of the saidreceptacle 1.

According to FIG. 2, where the same reference numerals designate thesame components as those illustrated in FIG. 1, the grille 14 of theinfusion collection receptacle 1 has several holes 15 whose dimensionsare determined in such a way as either to allow the free flow of theinfusion through the said holes 15, or to offer a resistance, during afinal phase of the outflow, to the passage of the infusion through thesaid holes 15, produced by an effect of clinging of the infusion to therim of the holes 15, thus creating a liquid seal automatically closingoff each hole 15.

The functioning of such a receptacle according to the invention will nowbe explained in greater detail.

During the operation of the coffee maker, after a few minutes ofheating, the hot water sprays the ground coffee present in the filterand causes it to swell progressively. The infusion obtained in this wayescapes through the outflow orifice 4 of the filter 5 and flows outthrough the single opening 12 into the infusion collection receptacle 1through the grille 14. When the flow of the infusion comes to an end, inother words when it reaches the final phase of the infusion, a film ofliquid sticks to the grille to form a liquid seal on the holes 15. Inthis way, a total closure of the infusion collection receptacle 1 isobtained, thereby preserving the aroma and temperature of the infusioncontained in the receptacle 1.

Because of the locating means 13, the user can position the infusioncollection receptacle 1 on the base 8 without looking and automaticallyobtain the correct positioning of the spout 10 and therefore of theopening 12 beneath the outlet orifice 4 of the filter 5. This devicealso offers a further technical advantage since, because the flow of theinfusion takes place within the casing 6 of the coffee maker 7, the heatis practically enclosed inside the casing 6.

Moreover, this coffee maker is aesthetically pleasing since the partsnecessary for the flow and for the collection of the infusion areconcealed deep within the casing.

We claim:
 1. Infusion machine comprising a casing (6) and an infusioncollector receptacle (1) delimited by a side wall (2) and a rear wall(3), adapted to be disposed beneath the outlet opening (4) of a filter(5) arranged in said casing (6), said collector receptacle (1)comprising a handle (9), a spout (10) by which the infusion is pouredfrom the receptacle (1) and a cover (11) having an opening (12) throughwhich the infusion flows into the receptacle and which is located facingthe spout (10), whilst the outlet opening (4) of the filter (5) is soarranged as to overlie said spout (10) in an infusion position; saidmachine comprising also indexing means (13) adapted to position thespout (10) facing the outlet opening (4) of the filter (5) in theinfusion position, characterized in that, the casing (6) comprises abase (8) on which rests the collector receptacle (1) in the infusionposition and the handle (9) of said receptacle (1) being secured to theside wall (2) of this latter by attachment means, the indexing means(13) comprising a recess (20) provided in the casing (6) and in which aportion of the handle (9) of the collector receptacle (1) is receivedwhen said receptacle (1) is positioned on the base (8).
 2. Infusionmachine according to claim 1, characterized in that the collectorreceptacle (1) comprises a grill (14) positioned adjacent the spout (10)and adapted to close the opening (12) located facing the spout (10) atthe end of the infusion passage.
 3. Infusion machine according to claim2, characterized in that the grill (14) is secured by cementing on theside wall (2) of the collector receptacle (1).
 4. Infusion machineaccording to claim 2, characterized in that the grill (14) has severalholes (15) whose dimensions are so determined as either to permit thefree flow of the infusion through said holes (15) or to provide in thefinal phase of the flow a resistance to the passage of the infusionthrough said holes (15) arising from the attachment effect of theinfusion to the edge of the holes (15), thereby creating a liquid jointautomatically closing each hole (15).
 5. Infusion machine according toany one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the side wall (2)of the collector receptacle (1) having a spherical shape, the cover (11)of said receptacle also has a spherical shape.